Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge

Saturday
January 19, 2008  

Field Trip

Ocean City Area & Assateague

Cecil Gulls

Bring scope if you have one.  Dress for extreme cold and/or wind and be prepared for walking and then standing still while we scan the flocks. Be aware that walking will be over rough ground, with possible muddy conditions, and possibly up steep slopes. 

Trip leader:  Richard Donham donhamr@zoominternet.net
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Mid-Winter Bird Count

11th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
 
The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event co-sponsored by Audubon and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.  They are asking MOS members - that's us - to participate. The count engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.

To participate:

1. Plan to count birds for at least 15 minutes during February 15–18, 2008. Count birds at as many places and on as many days as you like—just keep a separate list of counts for each day and/or location.

2. Count the greatest number of individuals of each species that you see together at any one time, and write it down.

3. Enter your results on the Great Backyard Bird Count web site, http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

Blackwater & Beyond

Another trip designed to see large numbers of waterfowl during the height of spring staging season, this one at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County.  Bald Eagles are a bonus feature.  Ospreys may be newly arrived and if so, will be setting up territories.  Some early shorebirds might be on the move. Come take advantage of the peaceful Eastern Shore ambiance before the tourist season sets in.

Meet at the Parking lot of  Blackwater Headquarters at 9 am for a Full Day trip.  Bring breakfast, lunch and snacks - there are few opportunities to purchase food in the vicinity.  Dress for possible extreme cold and wind.  Bring scope if you have one.  Some easy walking on level ground.  

Saturday
April 12, 2008

Field Trip

Mt. Harmon Plantation & Grove Neck Sanctuary

Saturday
May 3, 2008

Field Trip

Spring Count

MOS Annual Conference, Radisson Conference Center, Edgewood, MD

Join your fellow birders from across the State of Maryland for the MOS Annual Conference, featuring field trips, workshops, social events, business meeting, and special guest speaker for the gala banquet. This year, the conference will be hosted by our neighbors in Harford County.  Field trips will cover Harford County and we can probably expect some in Cecil County as well as in Baltimore County.  Special guest Michael O'Brien will offer a Friday afternoon workshop on Birding by Ear, with practice session field trips on Saturday and Sunday.  
 

Summer at the Beach:  Ocean City Area & Assateague - Waders and Shorebirds

Turkey Pointers BIG SIT!  Birding's Most Sedentary Event

Cecil Bird Club will be participating in the BIG SIT!, an annual, international, noncompetitive birding event hosted by Bird Watcher's Digest and founded by the New Haven (CT) Bird Club.  THE BIG SIT! is like a Big Day, or a bird-a-thon in that the object is to tally as many bird species as can be seen or heard within 24 hours. The difference lies in the area limitation from which you can observe.  All counting is done from inside a real or imaginary circle 17 feet in diameter. Counters sit inside the circle for 24 hours, counting all the bird species seen or heard.

Our BIG SIT! count circle will be based at the big Cedar Tree near the Lighthouse at Turkey Point.  Sean McCandless and Chris Starling will be official counters. In 2007, the Turkey Pointers Circle reported the highest number of species among Maryland BIG SIT! circles, with 77 species; this was also one of the highest totals reported nationally.  Can we do it again? All are welcome to join the Turkey Point BIG SIT! circle, so pack some food and drink and come out out to join us.  Sean and Chris will start at 4:30 a.m.;  you can come whenever you like and stay for as long as you like.  Hint:  if you have any  any goodies you to share, you might want to pack some extras for our stalwart official BIG SIT! counters, to keep their spirits up for the long haul.

• All events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise indicated (some destinations have an admission fee or will require payment of road/bridge toll). 
• Due to limited parking, reservations may be necessary for some field trips, and car pooling is always encouraged. 
• It is a courtesy to contact the trip leader (shown in the last column) if you are planning to attend a field trip.
• Please try to arrive at the field trip meeting place ten to fifteen minutes before the stated time to ensure you are not left behind. 
• Trips designated as ½ day are usually over by noon. 
• It is a good idea to pack a lunch and drink for any trips designated ¾ or full day. 
• In inclement weather:
• Field trips may be canceled due to heavy rain or snow.  The trip leader will call you if you have indicated you will attend.
• Bird counts are held rain or shine. 
• Meetings may be canceled because of severe weather and dangerous driving conditions;  such cancellations (meetings only, not field trips) will be announced via e-mail.
  
• Look for the  symbol for recent additions to the calendar. 
• For general trip information, to suggest a destination, or to volunteer as a trip leader, contact Field Trip Chair Parke John by sending e-mail to parke@del.net
• For more events, check the statewide MOS calendar at http://www.mdbirds.org/activities/actindex.html
• Most importantly, try to attend as many trips and meetings as you can and Have Fun!